Today's Verse: Malachi 2:16

Monday, February 16, 2004

"I hate divorce," says the Lord God of Israel, ..."So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith."
— Malachi 2:16
Now you can listen to Today's Verse on iTunes, Spotify, Echo devices, and more!

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

My heart breaks for those who hear these words of this verse and feel a shattering in their souls because of what they have endured. God hates the pain, damage, loss, sorrow, and physical damage you carry. We mourn with those who had to leave their marriage to find spiritual, emotional, and physical protection. In our throw-away world, God hates when people are abandoned and we break our lives and others' through unrighteous behaviors. We want our spirits to be holy. We don't want our hearts corrupted by selfishness and resentment. We choose NOT to break faith: we refuse to treat those closest to us with contempt, neglect, or abuse. When people are broken by what causes divorce and the consequences of it, let's find them, include them, and bring them home to God's family for healing. Let's especially be sensitive and supportive of children caught between divorcing parents. Let's remember that God hates divorce and what causes it, but he does not say, "I hate the divorced." All sin is forgivable when we genuinely repent and reorient our lives to God (1 John 1:5-10, 2:1-2).

My Prayer...

Almighty God, please make our words strong, our commitments lasting, and our lives faithful to our promises to you and each other. Bless those whose hearts have been shattered by spouses who have treated them unfairly, abusively, and unfaithfully. Thank you for the beautiful examples of many who have had strong marriages. Thank you for those who have stumbled but come back to you, confessed their sins, and gone on to build godly relationships and marriages. Please bless me and my house with a legacy of faithfulness that lasts generations after us. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Comments

Archived Facebook Comments

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Monday, February 16, 2004

A one-year devotional guide through the book of Acts.
"All the people saw [the man who had been lame] walking and heard him praising God. When they realized he was the lame beggar they had seen so often at..."
The classic twice-daily devotional from Charles H. Spurgeon.
"Common, too common is the sin of forgetting the Holy Spirit. This is folly and ingratitude. He deserves well at our hands, for he is good, supremely....."
A daily devotional about God's power for our battles.
"She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe. For she thought to herself, ‘If I can just touch his..."
A daily devotional featuring wise counsel found in Scripture.
"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps."

Illustration

Illustration of Malachi 2:16 — "I hate divorce," says the Lord God of Israel, ..."So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith."

About This Devotional

Today's Verse is a free daily devotional that includes a Bible verse, thought and prayer.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.